Stories

Columbus makes NewWorld discovery en route to India.

Following an arduous two month journey from Spain, on October 12, 1492, Christopher Columbus finally sighted land, located near the present-day Bahamas. Columbus named the island San Salvador, and encountered many friendly indigenous people who lived there. On this first journey to the New World, Columbus also made initial explorations of Cuba and Haiti, following his abandonment of his ship Santa Maria, forcing him to leave a number of his men in a colony there called La Natividad. Columbus would later make several more voyages to the New World, including serving for a time as governor.